Trail Blazers-Kings Preview

By TAYLOR BECHTOLDPosted Jan 06 2014 11:11PM

The Portland Trail Blazers are the NBA's best 3-point shooting team, though they're coming off their worst performance from beyond the arc this season.

Perhaps they'll be able to get back on track against one of the league's worst perimeter defensive clubs.

Portland seeks its third straight win in the season series Tuesday night when it visits the Sacramento Kings.

While the surprising Blazers (26-8) lead the NBA with 532 3-point field-goals, they had been particularly prolific from deep recently.

They averaged 13.0 3-pointers over a recent 10-game span, including a 21-of-33 shooting performance in Thursday's 134-104 win over Charlotte. With that effort, Portland became the first team in NBA history to hit 20 3s twice in a single season.

The Blazers, however, had their franchise-record run of eight consecutive games with at least eight 3-pointers end Saturday. They went a season-worst 3 for 22 from beyond the arc and blew a seven-point fourth-quarter lead in a 101-99 loss to visiting Philadelphia.

Damian Lillard (109) and Wesley Matthews (90) rank among league leaders in 3-pointers made but went a combined 1 for 11 against the 76ers. Lillard, who had gone 40 for 72 (55.6 percent) from beyond the arc in his previous eight games, also missed a layup at the buzzer that would have forced overtime.

"I had a good look," Lillard said. "Off-balance or not, I've got to make that."

It might not take Portland long to bounce back against the last-place Kings (10-22), who rank near the bottom of the league with a 39.2 defensive 3-point percentage. They allowed visiting Charlotte to hit 9 of 15 from distance in Saturday's 113-103 loss in Sacramento.

The Kings also are near the bottom of the NBA in points allowed (104.5) and defensive field-goal percentage (47.5). They've allowed nine straight opponents to reach 100 points, giving up an average of 111.8 points on 50.6 percent shooting over that stretch.

With Matthews and Nicolas Batum teaming to go 10 for 18, Portland went 19 for 43 from beyond the arc while winning the first two meetings by double digits.

Batum is probable for this matchup despite sustaining an avulsion fracture of his left middle finger Saturday.

Lillard had 22 points and four 3-pointers in a 104-91 home win Nov. 8, but had one of the worst performances of his career with four points on 1-of-15 shooting in a 96-85 victory in Sacramento the following evening.

The Blazers will certainly have to keep an eye on Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins, who totaled 68 points and 21 rebounds in the two contests. He's also averaged 26.3 and 13.7, respectively, in his last seven home games.

Sacramento has dropped eight of 12 since acquiring Rudy Gay, though he's averaging 19.5 points on 49.7 percent shooting with the Kings. He tied a season high with 30 points to go with 10 rebounds against the Blazers on Nov. 17 while with Toronto.

Isaiah Thomas has been on a roll, averaging 22.0 points while hitting 21 of 44 from 3-point range over his last seven games.

Portland is expected to activate C.J. McCollum, the 10th overall pick who has yet to play after suffering a fractured foot in the preseason. He went 17 for 36 - but 1 for 9 from 3-point range - and averaged 18.5 points in two D-League games as part of his rehab stint.

The Blazers have won the last three meetings overall.

Copyright 2014 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

Kings hold off Lillard, Blazers 123-119

By ANTONIO GONZALEZPosted Jan 08 2014 2:34AM

One or two more, and he might've pulled off one of the NBA's most improbable comebacks this season.

DeMarcus Cousins tied a season-high with 35 points to go with 13 rebounds, Rudy Gay scored 32 points and the Sacramento Kings held off a furious rally by Lillard to beat the Trail Blazers 123-119 on Tuesday night.

"That's the craziest game I've ever been a part of," Cousins said. "I could not wait until the end. I don't ever want to be in a situation with the ball in Damian Lillard's hands. I'm glad we got the win, but that was a scary thing."

Cousins and Gay provided the spark for a 32-12 run at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarters that put Sacramento ahead by 19 points. Gay fouled out with 4:12 remaining, and the Blazers nearly rallied back.

After scoring just 13 points in the third quarter, Portland had 46 points in the final period.

Lillard alone scored 26 of his career-high 41 points in the fourth to power Portland within two in the final minute, breaking the franchise record for points in a quarter. Terry Porter scored 25 points against Golden State on Nov. 14, 1992.

But the Kings made just enough free throws hold off Lillard and the Blazers, who have lost four of their last six games.

LaMarcus Aldridge added 24 points and eight rebounds, and Nicolas Batum finished with 11 points, 11 rebounds and five assists while playing with a fractured left middle finger in Portland's latest loss.

The Kings had dropped two straight after beating top contenders Miami and Houston. Sacramento held a players-only meeting on Sunday, and the Kings emerged to knock off another one of the NBA's best.

Gay made consecutive 3-pointers, a three-point play and a layup during Sacramento's surge in the fourth. Cousins also put back a rebound and hit a jumper to help the Kings go ahead 102-83 with 7:54 remaining.

Sacramento led 117-105 with 1:12 to play when Lillard turned into a one-man wrecking crew.

The reigning NBA Rookie of the Year made three 3-pointers, a fast-break layup and was fouled shooting another from beyond the arc - which just rimmed out. He made all three free throws to slice Sacramento's lead to 121-119 with 16.5 seconds left.

"Once I make a few, I can get going," Lillard said.

Isaiah Thomas hit two free throws before Lillard missed from long range to all but end the comeback. Lillard shot 13 of 24 from the floor and added seven rebounds and four assists.

"He's a competitor and at no time does he ever think he's out of a game," Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. "He's done that a lot in the two years he's been here. He's a special player."

In a matchup between one of the best and one of the worst teams in the West, Sacramento flipped the script on a Blazers team that had cruised through most of its schedule.

The Blazers also had beaten the Kings on consecutive nights in November, winning 104-91 in Portland and 96-85 in Sacramento. The Kings started three players who did not start in the two previous games against Portland - most notably Gay, who was acquired from Toronto in a seven-player trade in early December.

That included Marcus Thornton moving back in the starting lineup for Sacramento, replacing seventh overall pick Ben McLemore. Thornton finished with three points and eight rebounds, and McLemore had two points and two assists.

The Blazers still outscored Sacramento 35-24 in the first quarter and seemed ready to go 3-0 against the Kings this season. Portland shot 63.2 percent from the floor and made 10 of 11 free throws in the period.

Instead, the Kings opened the second quarter on a 14-5 run led by mostly reserves. The teams traded baskets for the remainder of the half, and the Blazers held a 60-55 lead at the break.

Thomas, who had 22 points and eight assists, hit a pair of 3s to highlight a 13-2 spurt for Sacramento to start the third quarter. Portland's topsy-turvy second half just wasn't enough to rally behind Lillard.

"I just didn't want to lose the game," Lillard said. "We had some good spurts on offense, then some bad spurts on defense, then bad spurts on offense, and then good defense. We just need to be more consistent. But when it came down to it we still had a chance to win the game. That's all I was thinking about."

NOTES: Lillard's previous career high was 37 points against the Warriors last year. ... C.J. McCollum, the 10th overall pick in the NBA draft out of Lehigh, was in Portland's active lineup for the first time this season after fracturing his left foot in training camp. He did not play. "I just didn't think tonight was the night," Stotts said ... The Blazers and Kings meet for the final time this season April 9 in Portland.

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Antonio Gonzalez can be reached at: www.twitter.com/agonzalezAP

Copyright 2014 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

Notebook: Kings 123, Trail Blazers 119

THE FACT: The Sacramento Kings and the Portland Trail Blazers combined to score 89 points in the fourth quarter Tuesday night in front of a wild Sleep Train Arena crowd.

THE LEAD: Desperate for a win on their home floor, the Sacramento Kings (11-22) turned up the heat in the second half and held on for a 123-119 win over the Portland Trail Blazers (26-9).

DeMarcus Cousins dominated the paint for Sacramento, leading the Kings in both points with 35 and rebounds with 13. Rudy Gay added 32 points on 10-for-16 shooting, including 13 in the deciding fourth quarter before fouling out with just over four minutes remaining. Isaiah Thomas dropped in 22 points, eight assists and seven rebounds and Derrick Williams kicked in 14 off the Kings bench.

QUOTABLE: "That's our challenge coming together as a team is -- make a play for a teammate tonight. It's not always about yourself. And I thought we looked to do that most of the night on both ends of the floor." -- Kings coach Michael Malone

THE STAT: Portland and Sacramento put on a show in the fourth, combining to score 89 points on 24-for-48 shooting. The two teams shot 45 combined free throws in the quarter and hit 8-for-17 from behind the arc.

TURNING POINT: After outscoring the Blazers 25-13 in the third quarter, Sacramento came out firing in the fourth and barely hung on to beat Portland.

QUOTABLE II: "I just didn't want to lose the game." -- Damian Lillard on his career game

QUOTABLE III: "Damian Lillard's a great player. He's an All-Star. Like Kobe Bryant said, 'Vote for the Damian Lillards of the world'. He's deserving and what he put on that show in the fourth quarter is special."-- Michael Malone on Lillard

HOT: Gay caught fire to start the fourth, scoring 13 points on 4-for-5 shooting in less than eight minutes of action.

HOT II: The only thing that stopped Lillard in the fourth quarter was the clock.

NOT: Portland's Wesley Matthews has had an amazing season, but Tuesday he was less than stellar, finishing with nine points on 3-for-12 shooting in the loss.

GOOD MOVE: With 2:04 remaining in the game and the Blazers trying to cut the Kings' lead to single digits, Thomas stood tall in the lane and took a monster charge against Aldridge.

BAD MOVE: Gay picked up his sixth foul at the 4:12 mark of the fourth quarter. The Kings barely held on without Gay's presence on the floor.

NOTABLE: Gay (32) and Cousins (35) tied season-highs in points and the Kings set a new season-high in points with 123.